Be the Top in Your Field

Often when someone starts to stagnant in a particular field or business, he starts to consider moving to another field.  Harvard Business Review recently had an article discussing this misperception.

In the article entitled "The Grass Isn't Greener", Evan Hirsh and Kastui Rangan state:

Your chance of getting superior returns is far better if you stay in your own industry and improve your performance than if you move into a new one.  It's a bit like having faith, when darkness falls, that the sun will return tomorrow.  You can pretty much count on it.

There are numerous situations where the initial tendency is to look externally, when the best approach is to look internally.  Focus within your organization and make improvements.  Focus within yourself and make improvements. 

Article:  Evan Hirsh and Kasturi Rangan, "The Grass Isn't Green," Harvard Business Review , volume 91, issue 1/2 (January-February 2013), pp 21-24. 

Good Quotes 2013

"As Sun Tzu said, 'Every battle is won before it's ever fought.'  It starts in the mind."
Jon Gordon in Training Camp

"Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership."
Colin Powell

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."
Muhammad Ali

"The world is not in your books and maps. It's out there."
Gandalf in The Hobbit.

"There did not seem to be brains enough in the entire group to bait a fishhook with."
Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

"A King may move a man, a father may claim a son, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God, you cannot say, "But I was told by others to do thus." Or that, "Virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that."
From the movie "Kingdom of Heaven (2005) by Ridley Scott (IMDB link:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320661/)

Changing Culture

One of the biggest challenges leaders have is changing culture. All organizations have inertia. Change is always needed, but there is natural resistance.

 A recent post on LeadershipFreak lists some ways leaders can help implement cultural change in an organization. Two steps in particular stand out..

• Concentrate on the success of others.
• Tell people what needs to be done not what to do.

These are two simple mindsets, but they can make a big difference.  Many organizations have superstars who are always on the top of the list.  Often we stop recognizing these top performers.  "They are on the list, again."  Recognition is important to everyone.

The is much discussion on empowering.  Remembering to give the goals and let people is one simple step in empowerment.  This also help people embrace the change more.

The LeadershipFreak blog post can be found here: http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/how-to-become-a-culture-building-leader/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=linkedin&goback=%2Egde_39683_member_220107464

Building Relationships as a Leaders--Maxwell

In a recently blog post, John Maxwell listed a few reminders on important steps for leaders in building relationships.

• Walk slowly through the crowd
• Remember people's names
• Smile at everyone
• Be quick to offer help

He quotes Helen Keller, "Life is an exciting business and most exciting when lived for others."

Often in the day to day scramble, it is hard to set aside the time needed to invest in relationships.  For a leader, these are often the most important times of the day.

Maxwell's  blog post can be found at this link:  http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2013/02/19/managing-the-disciplines-of-relationship-building/

Leadership Poem: searching for talent, Robert Morgan

There are a few lines in Robert Morgan's poem, "The Grain of Sound," that connect closely to the challenge of finding good leaders.

A banjo maker in the mountains, 
when looking our for wood to carve an instrument, 
will walk among the trees and knock on trucks. He'll hit 
the bark and listen for a note. 
A hickory make the brightest sound, 
the popular has a mellow ease. 
But only straightest grain 
will keep the purity of tone, the sought- 
for depth that make the licks sparkle.

This poems touches on two key aspects of leadership development.

Walk Among the Trees:  Leaders interested in developing other people need to get to know potential leads.  Talk to a wide range of people in the organization.  Connect with colleges and non-profits where untapped leaders can be found.

Only the Straightest Grains will Keep the Purity of Tone:  There are a few character traits that all leaders should have.  Stephen Covey lists integrity, maturity, and abundance mentality.  Without integrity, no matter what other strengths, the potential leader will be flawed.


"The Grain of Sound," by Robert Morgan, as found in Good Poems, edited by Garrison Keillor (New York, Penguin Press, 2002).

Donald E. Graham: learning the business from all angles

Donald E. Graham is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Washington Post Company.  He is highlighted in the Warren Buffett biography, The Warren Buffett Way by Robert Hagstrom (Hoboken, John Wiley & Sons, 2005).  Donald Graham is the son of Katherine and Philip Graham, the long time and well established publishers of the Washington Post.  Even though Donald had a future in senior management at the family run company, he still gained a broad range of experience before going into senior management.

• Drafted in the Army during Vietnam
• Joined the Washington Metropolitan Police and walked a beat
• Worked as a Metro reports in Washington
• Worked as reports for Newsweek in the Los Angeles Bureau (Newsweek is owned by the Washington Post)
• Worked as assistant managing sports editor at the Washington Post

Many companies that Warren Buffett invests in have company cultures where senior management works day to day and often started from the bottom.  This often is a great way for managers and leaders to develop.

Donald E. Graham biography at the Washington Post Company Website:  http://www.washpostco.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62487&p=irol-govHistBio&ID=27428

Environment and Introverts--Cain

Susan Cain wrote a excellent book entitled Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking (New York, Crown Publisher, 2012).  She examines the difference between introverts and extroverts, in terms of physiology, behavior, and preferences.

Here is an except about how acknowledging your tendencies can be used to develop your environment..

"Imagine how much better you'll be at this sweet-spot game once you're aware of playing it.  You can set up your work, your hobbies, and your social life so that you spend as much time inside your sweet spot as possible.  People who are aware of their sweet spots have the power to leave jobs that exhaust them and start new and satisfying businesses.  They can hunt  for homes based on the temperaments of their family members--with cozy window seats and other nooks and crannies for the introverts, and large, open living-dining  space for extroverts."

Character Outweighs Statements--Emerson

In discussing the importance of character Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen Covey uses a great quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson

"What you are shouts so loud in my ears I cannot hear what you say."

This is so true.  Many followers become skeptical about their leaders because of the character traits they exhibit.

The statement "lead by example" is over used.  It is useful, however, for leaders to self-examine their character and their actions.  When you ask your team to push for a goal, are you pushing with them and supporting them.  Do you have the same high standard of ethics in the office and at home as you expect your team members to have.

Leadership and Service--Quotes

Many feel that the key to leadership is service to others.  In his leadership blog, John Maxwell provided a list of outstanding quotes on service.

Here is the link to the posting:  http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2013/01/08/quotes-on-service/

Two quotes really stood out for me.

“Service is the measure of greatness; it always has been true; it is true today, and it always will be true, that he is greatest who does the most of good. Nearly all of our controversies and combats grow out of the fact that we are trying to get something from each other–there will be peace when our aim is to do something for each other. The human measure of a human life is its income; the divine measure of a life is its outgo, its overflow–its contribution to the welfare of all.” ~ William Jennings Bryan

“The purpose of life is not to win. The purpose of life is to grow and to share. When you come to look back on all that you have done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the pleasure you have brought into other people’s lives than you will from the times that you outdid and defeated them.” ~ Harold Kushner

In particular, I like the comment by Bryan that "nearly all of our controversies and combats grow out of the fact that we are trying to get something from each other."  Many leaders and projects are severely hampered by the mindset of "what is in it for me."

Mixing Personal Money with Company Money--Finkelstein

When one starts studying insurance, real estate, or other financial fields, one concept that is stressed is do not co-mingle funds.  Company money, client money, and personal money stays separate.

Looking at bad judgement by leaders is often a way to consider what Leadership Principles should lead to alternate decisions.  Recently on the Nightly Business Report, Professor Sydney Finkelstein of Dartmouth reviewed the worst four CEO's of 2012.

One CEO who stands out is Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK). He had a large personal loan from the company as well as he was running a hedge fund in addition to being the head of Chesapeake. 

Tracking the Nation’s Top Four Worst CEOs | Dec 26, 2012 - NBR | Nightly Business Report

One of John Maxwell's Laws of Leadership deals with Sacrifice.  A leader should give up as they rise in the organization.  A top level leaders should not be about perks.  It should be about how to serve.